Polynucleotides encoding polypeptides having β-primeverosidase activity

ABSTRACT

A β-primeverosidase gene characterized by encoding a protein containing the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:1 in the Sequence Listing or an amino acid sequence derived from this sequence by deletion, substitution, insertion or addition of one or more amino acids and utilization thereof.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This invention relates to a β-primeverosidase of a plant. β-Primeverosidase is an enzyme acting on β-primeveroside, which is a disaccharide glycoside, and catalyzing a reaction of forming aroma components of tea and primeverose.

BACKGROUND ART

In the studies on aroma components of plants, there has been confirmed the presence of a disaccharide glycoside β-primeveroside (6-O-β-D-xylopyranosyl-β-D-glucopyranoside) and its analogs, as precursors for alcoholic aroma components such as geraniol and linalol. Also, it has been clarified that β-primeveroside, a disaccharide glycoside, and its analogs exist as precursors for alcoholic aroma components other than those cited above.

The invention relates to a β-primeverosidase gene of a plant. β-Primeverosidase is an enzyme acting on β-primeveroside, which is a disaccharide glycoside, and catalyzing a reaction of forming aroma components of tea and primeverose.

The term “β-primeverosidase” means an enzyme having an enzymatic activity of cleaving disaccharide glycosides (in particular, β-primeveroside and its analogs) in a disaccharide unit. The enzyme according to the invention is characterized by having an activity of acting on a disaccharide glycoside, which is hardly usable as a substrate by the existing glucosidase, and thus releasing saccharides in a disaccharide unit from this disaccharide glycoside. An enzyme having the above activity is called “β-primeverosidase” herein.

Concerning the presence of an enzyme specifically acting on these disaccharides, the inventors first studied β-primeverosidase which is an enzyme forming the aroma components of tea. Thus, they isolated this enzyme and clarified its properties (JP-A-8-140675; the term “JP-A” as used herein means an “unexamined published Japanese patent application”).

However, the nucleotide sequence, etc. of this enzyme have not been clarified hitherto and no study has been made on the isolation and utilization of its gene.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

An object of the invention is to provide means for isolating β-primeverosidase gene originating in a plant, in particular tea, and thus providing this enzyme at a lower cost. The invention makes it possible to broaden the application range of the β-primeverosidase originating in a plant.

To achieve the above-described object, the inventors have conducted intensive studies and, as a result, completed the invention.

Namely, the gist of the invention resides in a DNA which encodes a protein comprising the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:1 in Sequence Listing or an amino acid sequence derived from this sequence by deletion, substitution, insertion or addition of one or more amino acids.

Particular examples of the above-described DNA include the following DNAs. Namely, DNA having the nucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:2 in Sequence Listing, or a DNA as described in claim 1 which encodes a protein comprising a polynucleotide selected from the following polynucleotides (a) to (g) and has a primeverosidase activity:

(a) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:1 in Sequence Listing;

(b) a polynucleotide encoding a polypeptide having an amino acid sequence derived from the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:1 in Sequence Listing by deletion, addition, insertion or substitution of one or more amino acid residues;

(c) a polynucleotide having the nucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:2 in Sequence Listing;

(d) a polynucleotide having a nucleotide sequence derived from the nucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:2 in Sequence Listing by deletion, addition, insertion or substitution of one or more bases;

(e) a gene capable of hybridizing with one of the polynucleotides (a) to (d) as described above under stringent conditions;

(f) a polynucleotide having a homology with one of the polynucleotides (a) to (d) as described above; and

(g) a polynucleotide which is degenerate with respect to at least one of the polynucleotides (a) to (f) as described above.

Now, the invention will be described in detail. The DNA according to the invention is a DNA encoding the above-described protein. To complete the invention, this DNA could be isolated from a tea cDNA library as will be described hereinafter. However, its nucleotide sequence has been clarified by the invention and, therefore, it can be obtained by chemical synthesis on the basis of the sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:1 or 2.

Alternatively, the DNA according to the invention can be obtained from a tea chromosomal DNA library or DNA libraries of other plants by the PCR or hybridization method known per se with the use of synthetic oligonucleotide probes or oligonucleotide primers synthesized on the basis of these sequences.

Next, illustration will be made by reference to examples of a method of obtaining the DNA according to the invention by acquiring a part of the DNA of the invention from a tea cDNA library by PCR followed by hybridization by using it as a probe, and a method of producing β-primeverosidase from Escherichia coli or a yeast by a gene recombination method with the use of the thus obtained DNA.

It is widely recognized by those skilled in the art in general that an amino acid sequence encoding a physiologically active protein sometimes sustains its physiological activity in case of having deletion, substitution, insertion or addition of one or more amino acids. As a matter of course, the invention involves in the scope thereof DNA fragments having these modifications and yet encoding proteins having the β-primeverosidase activity.

That is to say, the invention involves in the scope thereof DNAs encoding proteins which comprise amino acid sequences derived from the sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:1 in Sequence Listing by deletion, substitution, insertion or addition of one or more amino acids and have the β-primeverosidase activity. Such a modified DNA can be obtained by modifying the nucleotide sequence of the invention so as to delete, substitute, insert or add amino acid(s) at specific site(s) by, for example, the site-directed mutagenesis method.

Alternatively, a modified DNA can be obtained by mutagenesis of the DNA according to the invention or cells having the same and selecting a DNA which is hybridizable with the DNA having, for example, the nucleotide sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:2 in Sequence Listing under stringent conditions from the DNAs or cells obtained above.

The term “stringent conditions” as used herein means such conditions that allow the formation of so-called specific hybrids but not unspecific hybrids. Although these conditions can be hardly defined numerically, citation may be made of conditions under which nucleic acids having a high homology with each other (for example, DNAs having a 70 to 90% or more homology with each other) are hybridized but nucleic acids having a lower homology with each other cannot be hybridized.

The “stringent conditions” may be exemplified by 6×SSC, 1.0% of a blocking agent, 0.1% of N-lauroylsarcocine sodium and 0.02% of SDS.

It is also possible to obtain a β-primeverosidase gene from tea chromosome by a conventional method with the use of the DNA according to the invention or a part thereof as a probe. However, it is expected that the β-primeverosidase gene originating in tea chromosome contains intron(s). Such a DNA having an intervening intron also falls within the scope of the DNA according to the invention, so long as it encodes the β-primeverosidase of the invention.

Moreover, the invention involves in its scope a protein which comprises an amino acid sequence derived from the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:1 in Sequence Listing by deletion, substitution, insertion or addition of one or more amino acids but has no β-primeverosidase activity, so long as a protein having the β-primeverosidase activity can be obtained therefrom by a simple treatment such as splicing or treating with a protease. Examples of such case include a protein having the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:15 and proteins having amino acid sequences derived from the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:15 by deletion, substitution, insertion or addition of one or more arbitrary amino acids in the region from the N-terminal −78 to −1 positions.

Furthermore, the invention involves in its scope fused proteins composed of a protein having an amino acid sequence derived from the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:1 by deletion, substitution, insertion or addition of one or more amino acids with another protein. Examples thereof include proteins employed in fused protein expression systems (for example, maltose-binding protein: Pascale Duplay et al., Journal Biological Chemistry, Vol. 259, pp. 10606-10613 (1984)).

Further, a transformant capable of producing β-primeverosidase can be selected by integrating the obtained β-primeverosidase gene into an appropriate vector, transforming E. coli, yeasts, cultured cells, plants, etc. therewith, and then screening.

When cultured in a nutrient medium, the transformant thus obtained stably produces a peptide having a high β-primeverosidase activity. The culture conditions in culturing the transformant may be appropriately selected by taking the nutritional and physiological properties of the host into consideration. Although liquid culture is usually carried out in many cases, submerged aeration-agitation culture is industrially advantageous. As a carbon source, any carbon compound may be used so long as it is metabolizable. For example, use can be made of glucose, lactose, maltose and the like. As a nitrogen source, any nitrogen compound may be used so long as it is usable. For example, use can be made of yeast extract, peptone, meat extract and the like. The culture temperature is controlled to such a level as allowing the production of β-primeverosidase. In case of E.coli or yeasts, the culture temperature usually ranges from 10 to 42° C. To express the β-primeverosidase according to the invention in E.coli or yeasts, it is preferable to use a culture temperature of 20° C. or lower, still preferably from about 10 to about 20° C.

The culture may be carried out for a period of time of attaining the maximum yield of β-primeverosidase. The culture is usually continued for 12 to 72 hours. The pH value of the medium may be controlled so as to allow the growth of the cells and stably produce β-primeverosidase, preferably from pH 6 to 8.

Though the presence of the β-primeverosidase gene originating in tea according to the invention had been clarified, it was highly difficult to confirm its activity. In the invention, it has been clarified that the expression of a mature protein as an active protein can be achieved by carrying out culturing under specific conditions by using a fused protein expression system.

That is to say, the expression could be first achieved by carrying out the culturing at 20° C. or lower to thereby slow down the protein production speed compared with usual cases. In particular, expression in E.coli can be established by forming an inducible fused protein and thus slowing down the protein production. As the fused protein, it is favorable to use a protein fused with maltose-binding protein. It is also favorable that the production at a low speed is carried out by using promoters which can be artificially controlled (promoters lac, tac, etc.) and an inducer (for example, IPTG) at a lower concentration (1 mM or lower, preferably about 0.1 mM) than that in usual cases.

The β-primeverosidase thus produced may be subjected to various treatments depending on the purpose. In case where the β-primeverosidase is contained in cells, the cells are harvested by filtration, centrifugation, etc. and then disrupted by a physical method with the use of a machine or an enzymatic method with the use of lysozyme, etc. followed by extraction. Moreover, the β-primeverosidase thus obtained may be salted out, concentrated, purified, etc., if needed.

Unless otherwise noted, the β-primeverosidase activity described herein was measured in the following manner.

(1) β-Primeverosidase Activity

The enzyme activity was examined by using p-nitrophenyl-β-primeveroside (pNP-Pri) as a substrate and measuring p-nitrophenol (pNP) released therefrom with a spectrophotometer. The unit of enzyme activity was defined as the release of 1 μmol of pNP per minute.

More particularly, 300 μl of a sample to be assayed, 1100 μl of a 20 mM citrate buffer solution (pH 6.0) and 300 μl of a 10 mM solution of pNP-Pri in the same buffer solution were mixed and incubated at 37° C. After 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes, the liquid reaction mixture was sampled in 340 μl portions and the reaction was stopped by adding 170 μl of a 1 M aqueous solution of sodium carbonate. Then the absorbance at 405 nm was measured with a spectrophotometer.

The pNP-primeveroside serving as the substrate can be synthesized by, for example, reacting pNP-glucoside (manufactured by Merck & Co., Inc.) with xylooligosaccharide (manufactured by Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) by using an enzyme xylosidase (manufactured by Sigma Chemical Co.) and thus transferring one xylose residue to the pNP-glycoside via a β-1,6 bond.

(2) β-Glucosidase Activity

The enzyme activity was measured as in the measurement of the β-primeverosidase activity (1) by using p-nitrophenyl-β-glucoside as a substrate.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Now, the invention will be described in greater detail by reference to the following Examples. Needless to say, the invention is not construed as being limited thereto without departing from the gist of the invention. Unless other wise noted, all percentages are expressed in w/v % in this specification.

EXAMPLE 1 Preparation of Crude Enzyme Solution

Fresh tea leaves (cultivar: Yabukita) were ground in acetone under cooling with dry ice. Then the residue was washed with acetone at −20° C. until the filtrate became almost colorless and dried to give an acetone powder.

This acetone powder was suspended in 1 1 of a 0.1 M citrate buffer solution (pH 6.0) and stirred at 4° C. for 3 hours to thereby extract the enzyme. The extract was centrifuged and the residue was discarded. To the supernatant was added the equal amount of acetone and the resultant mixture was stirred and then allowed to stand at 4° C. overnight. Then the protein fraction was precipitated. Next, the precipitate was collected by centrifugation, dissolved in a citrate buffer solution and salted out against ammonium sulfate. The precipitate in the 40-80% ammonium sulfate-saturation fractions were dissolved in a 20 mM citrate buffer solution and then dialyzed against the same buffer solution.

EXAMPLE 2 Purification of β-Primeverosidase

The enzyme activity was examined by using p-nitrophenyl-β-primeveroside (pNP-Pri) as a substrate and measuring p-nitrophenol (pNP) released therefrom with a spectrophotometer. The unit of enzyme activity was defined as the release of 1 μmol of pNP per minute.

After the completion of the dialysis, the enzyme fraction was passed through a CM-Toyopearl 650 column (manufactured by Tosoh Corporation) having been equilibrated with a 20 mM citrate buffer solution and the adsorbed fraction was eluted and collected by using the same buffer solution containing 0 to 0.5M of NaCl. The enzyme fraction thus collected was concentrated with an ultrafiltration membrane (Amicon PM-10, manufactured by Grace Japan K.K.) and Centricon 10 (manufactured by Grace Japan K.K.). Next, it was passed through Mono S HR (Pharmacia Biotech) having been equilibrated with a 20 mM citrate buffer solution and the enzyme fraction thus adsorbed was eluted and collected by using the same buffer solution containing 0 to 0.2 M of NaCl.

EXAMPLE 3 Determination of the Amino Acid Sequence of Tea Primeverosidase

The purified primeverosidase was partially digested by trypsin and subjected to separation and purification by reversed phase chromatography to give a peptide fragment. The amino acid sequence of the peptide fragment thus obtained was determined with an amino acid sequencer. Thus the following amino acid sequence was obtained.

[SEQ ID NO:3]

wherein Xaa stands for an unknown amino acid.

EXAMPLE 4 Isolation of Tea Primeverosidase Gene Clone

Total RNA was extracted from Yabukita tea leaves by using an RNA extraction kit (Pharmacia Biotech). Poly(A)+RNA was prepared by using an oligo dT column and a cDNA library was constructed by using a λ vector in accordance with the instruction of λZAPII-cDNA Synthesis Kit (manufactured by Stratagene). This λ vector was excised into a phagemid by in vitro excision to thereby give a cDNA library of plasmid type.

Next, PCR was performed by using as PCR primers an oligonucleotide probe B GLU1 synthesized on the basis of the amino acid sequence of this peptide fragment:

[SEQ ID NO:4]

and a −20 primer on pBluecriptSK+vector:

[SEQ ID NO:5]

and the cDNA library of plasmid type as prepared above as a template, thereby giving a DNA fragment. By using this fragment as a probe, positive clones were obtained from the Yabukita cultivar λZAPII-cDNA library with the use of a DIG System (Boehringer-Mannheim). Among 15 positive clones, the one having the longest DNA insert was selected and a phagemid pBluescriptSK+ was prepared by in vivo excion to thereby determine the nucleotide sequence of the DNA insert. As a result, it was clarified that a gene fragment (SEQ ID NO:14) containing an open reading frame (ORF) consisting of the full length 507 amino acids (SEQ ID NO:15) including the thus determined amino acid sequence was obtained. SEQ ID NO:1 shows the mature protein part while SEQ ID NO:2 shows the nucleotide sequence corresponding thereto.

EXAMPLE 5 (1) Expression of Tea Primeverosidase Gene (1)

To confirm whether or not the gene thus cloned was a primeverosidase gene, an attempt was made to express the obtained cDNA. Since there had been reported the expression of the activities of several enzyme genes originating in plants in E.coli, it was attempted to express the gene in E.coli. By using the gene fragment containing the part encoding 507 amino acid residues as a template, amplification was carried out by the PCR method with the use of primers NN1:

[SEQ ID NO:6]

and MM2:

[SEQ ID NO:7]

to give a fragment. The fragment thus obtained had BamHI site and SalI site respectively introduced into the upstream and downstream of ORF. The fragment was cut out by restriction enzymes BamHI and SalI and inserted into the BamHI and SalI sites of an expression vector pKK233-3 (Pharmacia Biotech), thereby giving pKK233-3Pri. Subsequently, E.coli. JM105 was transformed with pKK233-3Pri. The transformed E.coli was inoculated into 100 ml of LB medium and cultured at 37° C. for 135 minutes. After adding IPTG at a final concentration of 0.1 mM, the culture was continued for additional 21 hours. After the completion of the culture, cells were collected by centrifugation, re-suspended in 4 ml of a column buffer solution (20 mM Tris HCl, 200 mM NaCl, 1 mM EDTA, 10 mM 2-mercaptoethanol, pH 7.4) and ultrasonically disrupted with a Branson Sonifier 250. After centrifuging, the supernatant and the precipitate were referred to respectively as a soluble fraction and an insoluble fraction.

To measure the primeverosidase activity, 300 μl of the soluble fraction was mixed with 1100 μl of a 20 mM citrate buffer solution (pH 6.0) and 300 μl of a 10 mM solution of pNP-Pri in the same buffer solution and incubated at 37° C. After 30, 60, 90 and 120 minutes, the liquid reaction mixture was sampled in 340 μl portions and the reaction was stopped by adding 170 μl of a 1 M aqueous solution of sodium carbonate. Then the release of pNP was monitored by measuring the absorbance at 405 nm with a spectrophotometer. As a result, no enzyme activity was observed.

(2) Expression of Tea Primeverosidase Gene (2)

A comparison of the amino acid sequence of the obtained cDNA clone with the terminal amino acid sequence determined from the protein indicated that the tea primeverosidase might be in the precursor structure. By analyzing the amino acid composition deduced on the basis of the open reading frame of the obtained cDNA, it was assumed that the region from the initiation codon to the amino acid at the 28-position would be a signal sequence-like region being rich in hydrophobic amino acids. From the viewpoint that the expression would be inhibited by this part, a gene fragment from which this part had been deleted was constructed. Namely, the maturation part was amplified as a fragment by the PCR method with the use of a primer MM1:

[SEQ ID NO:8]

and the above-described primer MM2:

[SEQ ID NO:9]

and the cloned gene as a template. The amplified fragment was cleaved with BamHI and SalI and inserted into the BamHI and SalI sites of a fused protein expression vectors pQE30 (manufactured by Quiagen), pRSETA (manufactured by Invitorgen) and pGEX4 (manufactured by Pharmacia Biotech). Then E.coli JM109 was transformed with the thus obtained vectors pQE30ΔPri, pRSETΔPri and pGEX4ΔPri. The E.coli transformants were each inoculated into 100 ml of LB medium and cultured at 37° C. for 135 minutes. After adding IPTG at a final concentration of 0.1 mM, the culture was continued for additional 21 hours. After the completion of the culture, cells were collected by centrifugation and a soluble fraction was prepared by the method as described above. Then the primeverosidase activity was measured. As a result, no activity was detected in all of the cases.

(3) Expression of Tea Primeverosidase Gene (3)

It was assumed that the failure in the confirmation of the expression might be caused by the inadequate concentration of IPTG (isopropyl-1-thio-β-galactopyranoside) added to the liquid culture medium for inducing the expression. Thus, JM109 transformants transformed by the vectors pQE30ΔPri, pRSETΔPri and pGEX4ΔPri were cultured under the above-described conditions but adding IPTG to give a final concentration of 0.1, 1 or 9 mM. After collecting the cells, soluble fractions were prepared and the activity was examined. As a result, no activity was observed in the soluble fractions.

(4) Expression of Tea Primeverosidase Gene (4)

The results of the attempts (1) to (3) to express the gene indicated that primeverosidase could be hardly expressed by usual methods. It was assumed that the expression could be hardly achieved since the enzyme synthesized in the cells might be present in an inactive state in the insoluble fraction. In the expression vectors pQE30ΔPri, pRSETAΔPri and pGEX4ΔPri, the gene inserted thereinto is expressed respectively as fused proteins of 54 kDa, 54 kDa and 81 kDa. When the insoluble fractions were analyzed by SDS-PAGE, proteins of the sizes corresponding to these fused proteins were observed in the respective insoluble fractions under the induction with IPTG. Therefore, it was considered that the gene had been expressed but resulted in transfer to the insoluble fraction in an inactive state.

After fully considering the above results, we considered that the inactivation of the expressed gene product could be prevented by culturing E.coli after the induction with IPTG at a temperature of 25° C., i.e., lower than the usual temperature of 37° C. Thus, it was attempted to express the E.coli gene by lowering the culture temperature from the usual level after the induction with IPTG. JM109 transformants having been transformed by the vectors pQE30ΔPri, pRSETAΔPri and pGEX4ΔPri were each inoculated into 100 ml of LB medium and cultured. After adding IPTG at a final concentration of 0.1 mM, each strain was cultured at 25 and 22° C. overnight or at 18° C. for 13 hours. The cells were collected and a soluble fraction was prepared by the above-described method. Then the primeverosidase activity was measured. As a result, no activity was detected.

(5) Expression of Tea Primeverosidase Gene (5)

Separately, an attempt was made to express the gene by using another fusion protein expression vector pMALc (manufactured by New England, Biolabs). Similar to the above-described case, a maturation part was amplified by PCR and inserted into the BamHI and SalI sites of the pMALc vector, thereby constructing pMALcΔPri. Then E.coli JM109 was transformed. The E.coli transformant was inoculated into 100 ml of LB medium and cultured at 37° C. for 135 minutes. After adding IPTG at a final concentration of 0.1 mM, the culture was continued for additional 21 hours. After the completion of the culture, the cells were collected by centrifuging and a soluble fraction was prepared by the above-described method. Then the primeverosidase activity was measured. As a result, no activity was detected in all of the cases. Since a protein of a molecular weight of 94 kDa (i.e., the fused protein) was observed in the insoluble fraction, it was considered that the expressed protein migrated into the insoluble fraction in an inactive state seemingly due to the insufficient folding in this case too.

After adding IPTG to give a final concentration of 0.1 mM, the culture temperature was then lowered from the usual level to 22, 18 and 10° C. and the culture was carried out for 24 hours. As a result, it was confirmed that the fused protein was present in each of the soluble fractions and the activity was also detected. Although β-glucosidase activity was measured in these soluble fractions, no activity was detected.

(6) Expression of Tea Primeverosidase Gene (6)

It was further attempted to express the gene in a yeast. Using pYES2 (manufactured by Invitrogen) as the expression vector, a gene fragment encoding a precursor was first amplified as a fragment by the PCR with the use of a primer NN1:

[SEQ ID NO:10]

and another primer MM3:

[SEQ ID NO:11]

and then inserted into the BamHI and XhoI sites of pYES2, thereby constructing pYES2Pri. Then a yeast strain INVSc1 was transformed. The yeast thus transformed was cultured in YPG medium at 30° C. for 24 hours. Then the cells were collected and ultrasonically disrupted in the same manner as described above to give a soluble fraction. Although the activity was measured, no activity could be detected. Next, the maturation part was amplified as a fragment by the PCR with the use of a primer MM1:

[SEQ ID NO:12]

and another primer MM3:

[SEQ ID NO:13]

and then inserted into the BamHI and XhoI sites of pYES2, thereby constructing pYES2Pri. Then a yeast strain INVSc1 was transformed thereby. The yeast thus transformed was cultured in YPG medium at 20 and 10° C. (i.e., lower by 30° C. than the usual culture temperature) for 72 hours. Then the cells were collected and ultrasonically disrupted in the same manner as described above to give a soluble fraction. When the activity was measured, the activity was detected in the soluble fraction. No p-glucosidase activity was observed in this soluble fraction.

Based on the results as described above, it is considered that the tea-origin primeverosidase gene was hardly expressed not because the expression system of E. coli was inappropriate but because the activity of the gene per se could be hardly expressed.

INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY

As discussed above, it is very difficult to confirm the activity by the expression of the primeverosidase gene originating in tea. It is found out that an active protein can be detected by forming a fused protein of the mature protein with a limited conventional protein under conditions not usually employed in culturing.

As the results of intensive studies, we have found out for the first time specific conditions appropriate for the expression of tea-origin primeverosidase and, indicated after many difficulties that the primeverosidase gene expresses its primeverosidase activity under these conditions.

Consequently, the gene sequence and the amino acid sequence of tea primeverosidase have been clarified for the first time.

15 1 429 PRT Camellia var. sinensis 1 Ile Ser Asn Gly Ser Thr Gly Asp Val Ala Asp Asp Phe Tyr His Arg 1 5 10 15 Tyr Lys Glu Asp Val Lys Val Leu Lys Phe Ile Gly Leu Asp Gly Phe 20 25 30 Arg Met Ser Ile Ser Trp Ala Arg Val Leu Pro Arg Gly Lys Leu Ser 35 40 45 Gly Gly Val Asn Lys Glu Gly Ile Ala Phe Tyr Asn Asn Val Ile Asn 50 55 60 Asp Leu Leu Ser Lys Gly Ile Gln Pro Phe Ile Thr Ile Phe His Trp 65 70 75 80 Asp Leu Pro Gln Ala Leu Glu Asp Glu Tyr Gly Gly Phe Leu Ser Pro 85 90 95 His Ile Val Asn Asp Phe Arg Asp Phe Ala Glu Leu Cys Phe Lys Glu 100 105 110 Phe Gly Asp Arg Val Lys His Trp Ile Thr Met Asn Glu Pro Trp Ser 115 120 125 Tyr Ser Tyr Gly Gly Tyr Asp Ala Gly Leu Leu Ala Pro Gly Arg Cys 130 135 140 Ser Ala Phe Met Ala Phe Cys Pro Lys Gly Asn Ser Gly Thr Glu Pro 145 150 155 160 Tyr Ile Val Thr His Asn Leu Leu Leu Ser His Ala Ala Ala Val Lys 165 170 175 Leu Tyr Lys Glu Lys Tyr Gln Ala Tyr Gln Lys Gly Gln Ile Gly Ile 180 185 190 Thr Leu Val Thr Tyr Trp Met Ile Pro Tyr Ser Asn Ser Lys Ala Asp 195 200 205 Lys Asp Ala Ala Gln Arg Ala Leu Asp Phe Met Tyr Gly Trp Phe Ile 210 215 220 Glu Pro Leu Ser Phe Gly Glu Tyr Pro Lys Ser Met Arg Arg Leu Val 225 230 235 240 Gly Lys Arg Leu Pro Arg Phe Thr Lys Glu Gln Ala Met Leu Val Lys 245 250 255 Gly Ser Phe Asp Phe Leu Gly Leu Asn Tyr Tyr Ile Ala Asn Tyr Val 260 265 270 Leu Asn Val Pro Thr Ser Asn Ser Val Asn Leu Ser Tyr Thr Thr Asp 275 280 285 Ser Leu Ser Asn Gln Thr Ala Phe Arg Asn Gly Val Ala Ile Gly Arg 290 295 300 Pro Thr Gly Val Pro Ala Phe Phe Met Tyr Pro Lys Gly Leu Lys Asp 305 310 315 320 Leu Leu Val Tyr Thr Lys Glu Lys Tyr Asn Asp Pro Val Ile Tyr Ile 325 330 335 Thr Glu Asn Gly Met Gly Asp Asn Asn Asn Val Thr Thr Glu Glu Gly 340 345 350 Ile Lys Asp Pro Gln Arg Val Tyr Phe Tyr Asn Gln His Leu Leu Ser 355 360 365 Leu Lys Asn Ala Ile Ala Ala Gly Val Lys Val Lys Gly Tyr Phe Thr 370 375 380 Trp Ala Phe Leu Asp Asn Phe Glu Trp Leu Ser Gly Tyr Thr Gln Arg 385 390 395 400 Phe Gly Ile Val Tyr Val Asp Phe Lys Asp Gly Leu Lys Arg Tyr Pro 405 410 415 Lys His Ser Ala Leu Trp Phe Lys Lys Phe Leu Leu Lys 420 425 2 1287 DNA Camellia var. sinensis 2 atatcgaatg gtagcactgg agatgtagct gatgactttt atcatcgtta caaggaagat 60 gtgaaggtgc tgaagtttat aggactagat ggtttcagaa tgtccatctc atgggcccga 120 gtattacctc gggggaagct tagcggagga gtgaacaagg aaggtatcgc cttctacaac 180 aatgtcatca atgacctttt atcgaaaggt atacaacctt ttataacaat ctttcactgg 240 gatcttcccc aagccctaga agatgaatat ggaggctttt taagcccaca cattgtgaac 300 gatttccggg attttgcaga gctgtgcttc aaggagtttg gtgaccgagt taaacattgg 360 atcacaatga atgaaccatg gtcttactcc tatgggggtt atgatgcagg tctcctagca 420 ccgggccgtt gttcggcttt tatggcattt tgccctaaag ggaattctgg gactgagccc 480 tatatagtta cccacaattt gcttctttct catgctgctg ctgtgaaact atacaaggag 540 aaatatcagg catatcaaaa ggggcagata gggataacac tagtgactta ttggatgatt 600 ccctactcca attcgaaagc cgacaaggat gcagcacaac gagcccttga tttcatgtat 660 ggatggttta ttgagccatt aagctttggt gaatatccaa aaagcatgcg tagactcgtt 720 ggtaaaaggt taccaaggtt cactaaagag caagctatgt tggtgaaggg gtctttcgat 780 ttcctcggac taaattacta tattgcaaat tatgtactaa atgttcccac ttctaatagt 840 gttaatctca gctacacaac cgattctctt tctaatcaaa ctgcattccg aaatggggta 900 gctattggga gaccaactgg ggtacctgca tttttcatgt acccgaaagg attgaaagat 960 ctattggtct acacaaagga gaagtacaac gatccagtta tttacataac agagaatggc 1020 atgggtgaca acaataatgt tacaactgaa gaaggcatca aggatcccca gagggtctat 1080 ttctacaatc agcatcttct atcacttaaa aatgccattg cggctggcgt gaaggttaaa 1140 ggttacttta catgggcatt tcttgacaat tttgaatggt tatccggtta cacccaaagg 1200 ttcggaattg tctatgtaga tttcaaagat ggactaaaaa gataccccaa acattcagct 1260 ttgtggttca agaaattcct cctcaag 1287 3 16 PRT Camellia var. sinensis MISC_FEATURE (3)..(3) “Xaa” may be any amino acid 3 Ile Ser Xaa Gly Ser Thr Gly Asp Val Ala Asp Asp Phe Tyr His Arg 1 5 10 15 4 20 DNA Artificial Sequence Synthetic DNA PCR primer 4 gtygcygayg ayttytayca 20 5 16 DNA Artificial Sequence Synthetic DNA PCR primer 5 gtaaacgacg gccagt 16 6 27 DNA Artificial Sequence Synthetic DNA PCR primer 6 ggatccatga tggcagcgaa agggtca 27 7 27 DNA Artificial Sequence Synthetic DNA PCR primer 7 gtcgacctac ttgaggagga atttctt 27 8 27 DNA Artificial Sequence Synthetic DNA PCR primer 8 ggatccgctc aaatctcctc cttcaac 27 9 27 DNA Artificial Sequence Synthetic DNA PCR primer 9 gtcgacctac ttgaggagga atttctt 27 10 27 DNA Artificial Sequence Synthetic DNA PCR primer 10 ggatccatga tggcagcgaa agggtca 27 11 27 DNA Artificial Sequence Synthetic DNA PCR primer 11 ctcgagctac ttgaggagga atttctt 27 12 27 DNA Artificial Sequence Synthetic DNA PCR primer 12 ggatccgctc aaatctcctc cttcaac 27 13 27 DNA Artificial Sequence Synthetic DNA PCR primer 13 ctcgagctac ttgaggagga atttctt 27 14 1521 DNA Camellia var. sinensis CDS (1)..(1521) 14 atg atg gca gcg aaa ggg tca gtt gta gtg gga gtg tta gca att gtt 48 Met Met Ala Ala Lys Gly Ser Val Val Val Gly Val Leu Ala Ile Val -75 -70 -65 gcg tat gca ctt gtt gta agt gag gtt gcc ata gca gct caa atc tcc 96 Ala Tyr Ala Leu Val Val Ser Glu Val Ala Ile Ala Ala Gln Ile Ser -60 -55 -50 tcc ttc aac aga acc agc ttt cct gat ggt ttt gtc ttt gga gct gcc 144 Ser Phe Asn Arg Thr Ser Phe Pro Asp Gly Phe Val Phe Gly Ala Ala -45 -40 -35 tct tct gcc tac cag ttt gaa ggt gct gcc aag gaa ggt ggg aaa ggc 192 Ser Ser Ala Tyr Gln Phe Glu Gly Ala Ala Lys Glu Gly Gly Lys Gly -30 -25 -20 -15 ccc aat att tgg gat acc ttc act cat gag ttt cca ggt aaa ata tcg 240 Pro Asn Ile Trp Asp Thr Phe Thr His Glu Phe Pro Gly Lys Ile Ser -10 -5 -1 1 aat ggt agc act gga gat gta gct gat gac ttt tat cat cgt tac aag 288 Asn Gly Ser Thr Gly Asp Val Ala Asp Asp Phe Tyr His Arg Tyr Lys 5 10 15 gaa gat gtg aag gtg ctg aag ttt ata gga cta gat ggt ttc aga atg 336 Glu Asp Val Lys Val Leu Lys Phe Ile Gly Leu Asp Gly Phe Arg Met 20 25 30 tcc atc tca tgg gcc cga gta tta cct cgg ggg aag ctt agc gga gga 384 Ser Ile Ser Trp Ala Arg Val Leu Pro Arg Gly Lys Leu Ser Gly Gly 35 40 45 50 gtg aac aag gaa ggt atc gcc ttc tac aac aat gtc atc aat gac ctt 432 Val Asn Lys Glu Gly Ile Ala Phe Tyr Asn Asn Val Ile Asn Asp Leu 55 60 65 tta tcg aaa ggt ata caa cct ttt ata aca atc ttt cac tgg gat ctt 480 Leu Ser Lys Gly Ile Gln Pro Phe Ile Thr Ile Phe His Trp Asp Leu 70 75 80 ccc caa gcc cta gaa gat gaa tat gga ggc ttt tta agc cca cac att 528 Pro Gln Ala Leu Glu Asp Glu Tyr Gly Gly Phe Leu Ser Pro His Ile 85 90 95 gtg aac gat ttc cgg gat ttt gca gag ctg tgc ttc aag gag ttt ggt 576 Val Asn Asp Phe Arg Asp Phe Ala Glu Leu Cys Phe Lys Glu Phe Gly 100 105 110 gac cga gtt aaa cat tgg atc aca atg aat gaa cca tgg tct tac tcc 624 Asp Arg Val Lys His Trp Ile Thr Met Asn Glu Pro Trp Ser Tyr Ser 115 120 125 130 tat ggg ggt tat gat gca ggt ctc cta gca ccg ggc cgt tgt tcg gct 672 Tyr Gly Gly Tyr Asp Ala Gly Leu Leu Ala Pro Gly Arg Cys Ser Ala 135 140 145 ttt atg gca ttt tgc cct aaa ggg aat tct ggg act gag ccc tat ata 720 Phe Met Ala Phe Cys Pro Lys Gly Asn Ser Gly Thr Glu Pro Tyr Ile 150 155 160 gtt acc cac aat ttg ctt ctt tct cat gct gct gct gtg aaa cta tac 768 Val Thr His Asn Leu Leu Leu Ser His Ala Ala Ala Val Lys Leu Tyr 165 170 175 aag gag aaa tat cag gca tat caa aag ggg cag ata ggg ata aca cta 816 Lys Glu Lys Tyr Gln Ala Tyr Gln Lys Gly Gln Ile Gly Ile Thr Leu 180 185 190 gtg act tat tgg atg att ccc tac tcc aat tcg aaa gcc gac aag gat 864 Val Thr Tyr Trp Met Ile Pro Tyr Ser Asn Ser Lys Ala Asp Lys Asp 195 200 205 210 gca gca caa cga gcc ctt gat ttc atg tat gga tgg ttt att gag cca 912 Ala Ala Gln Arg Ala Leu Asp Phe Met Tyr Gly Trp Phe Ile Glu Pro 215 220 225 tta agc ttt ggt gaa tat cca aaa agc atg cgt aga ctc gtt ggt aaa 960 Leu Ser Phe Gly Glu Tyr Pro Lys Ser Met Arg Arg Leu Val Gly Lys 230 235 240 agg tta cca agg ttc act aaa gag caa gct atg ttg gtg aag ggg tct 1008 Arg Leu Pro Arg Phe Thr Lys Glu Gln Ala Met Leu Val Lys Gly Ser 245 250 255 ttc gat ttc ctc gga cta aat tac tat att gca aat tat gta cta aat 1056 Phe Asp Phe Leu Gly Leu Asn Tyr Tyr Ile Ala Asn Tyr Val Leu Asn 260 265 270 gtt ccc act tct aat agt gtt aat ctc agc tac aca acc gat tct ctt 1104 Val Pro Thr Ser Asn Ser Val Asn Leu Ser Tyr Thr Thr Asp Ser Leu 275 280 285 290 tct aat caa act gca ttc cga aat ggg gta gct att ggg aga cca act 1152 Ser Asn Gln Thr Ala Phe Arg Asn Gly Val Ala Ile Gly Arg Pro Thr 295 300 305 ggg gta cct gca ttt ttc atg tac ccg aaa gga ttg aaa gat cta ttg 1200 Gly Val Pro Ala Phe Phe Met Tyr Pro Lys Gly Leu Lys Asp Leu Leu 310 315 320 gtc tac aca aag gag aag tac aac gat cca gtt att tac ata aca gag 1248 Val Tyr Thr Lys Glu Lys Tyr Asn Asp Pro Val Ile Tyr Ile Thr Glu 325 330 335 aat ggc atg ggt gac aac aat aat gtt aca act gaa gaa ggc atc aag 1296 Asn Gly Met Gly Asp Asn Asn Asn Val Thr Thr Glu Glu Gly Ile Lys 340 345 350 gat ccc cag agg gtc tat ttc tac aat cag cat ctt cta tca ctt aaa 1344 Asp Pro Gln Arg Val Tyr Phe Tyr Asn Gln His Leu Leu Ser Leu Lys 355 360 365 370 aat gcc att gcg gct ggc gtg aag gtt aaa ggt tac ttt aca tgg gca 1392 Asn Ala Ile Ala Ala Gly Val Lys Val Lys Gly Tyr Phe Thr Trp Ala 375 380 385 ttt ctt gac aat ttt gaa tgg tta tcc ggt tac acc caa agg ttc gga 1440 Phe Leu Asp Asn Phe Glu Trp Leu Ser Gly Tyr Thr Gln Arg Phe Gly 390 395 400 att gtc tat gta gat ttc aaa gat gga cta aaa aga tac ccc aaa cat 1488 Ile Val Tyr Val Asp Phe Lys Asp Gly Leu Lys Arg Tyr Pro Lys His 405 410 415 tca gct ttg tgg ttc aag aaa ttc ctc ctc aag 1521 Ser Ala Leu Trp Phe Lys Lys Phe Leu Leu Lys 420 425 15 507 PRT Camellia var. sinensis 15 Met Met Ala Ala Lys Gly Ser Val Val Val Gly Val Leu Ala Ile Val -75 -70 -65 Ala Tyr Ala Leu Val Val Ser Glu Val Ala Ile Ala Ala Gln Ile Ser -60 -55 -50 Ser Phe Asn Arg Thr Ser Phe Pro Asp Gly Phe Val Phe Gly Ala Ala -45 -40 -35 Ser Ser Ala Tyr Gln Phe Glu Gly Ala Ala Lys Glu Gly Gly Lys Gly -30 -25 -20 -15 Pro Asn Ile Trp Asp Thr Phe Thr His Glu Phe Pro Gly Lys Ile Ser -10 -5 -1 1 Asn Gly Ser Thr Gly Asp Val Ala Asp Asp Phe Tyr His Arg Tyr Lys 5 10 15 Glu Asp Val Lys Val Leu Lys Phe Ile Gly Leu Asp Gly Phe Arg Met 20 25 30 Ser Ile Ser Trp Ala Arg Val Leu Pro Arg Gly Lys Leu Ser Gly Gly 35 40 45 50 Val Asn Lys Glu Gly Ile Ala Phe Tyr Asn Asn Val Ile Asn Asp Leu 55 60 65 Leu Ser Lys Gly Ile Gln Pro Phe Ile Thr Ile Phe His Trp Asp Leu 70 75 80 Pro Gln Ala Leu Glu Asp Glu Tyr Gly Gly Phe Leu Ser Pro His Ile 85 90 95 Val Asn Asp Phe Arg Asp Phe Ala Glu Leu Cys Phe Lys Glu Phe Gly 100 105 110 Asp Arg Val Lys His Trp Ile Thr Met Asn Glu Pro Trp Ser Tyr Ser 115 120 125 130 Tyr Gly Gly Tyr Asp Ala Gly Leu Leu Ala Pro Gly Arg Cys Ser Ala 135 140 145 Phe Met Ala Phe Cys Pro Lys Gly Asn Ser Gly Thr Glu Pro Tyr Ile 150 155 160 Val Thr His Asn Leu Leu Leu Ser His Ala Ala Ala Val Lys Leu Tyr 165 170 175 Lys Glu Lys Tyr Gln Ala Tyr Gln Lys Gly Gln Ile Gly Ile Thr Leu 180 185 190 Val Thr Tyr Trp Met Ile Pro Tyr Ser Asn Ser Lys Ala Asp Lys Asp 195 200 205 210 Ala Ala Gln Arg Ala Leu Asp Phe Met Tyr Gly Trp Phe Ile Glu Pro 215 220 225 Leu Ser Phe Gly Glu Tyr Pro Lys Ser Met Arg Arg Leu Val Gly Lys 230 235 240 Arg Leu Pro Arg Phe Thr Lys Glu Gln Ala Met Leu Val Lys Gly Ser 245 250 255 Phe Asp Phe Leu Gly Leu Asn Tyr Tyr Ile Ala Asn Tyr Val Leu Asn 260 265 270 Val Pro Thr Ser Asn Ser Val Asn Leu Ser Tyr Thr Thr Asp Ser Leu 275 280 285 290 Ser Asn Gln Thr Ala Phe Arg Asn Gly Val Ala Ile Gly Arg Pro Thr 295 300 305 Gly Val Pro Ala Phe Phe Met Tyr Pro Lys Gly Leu Lys Asp Leu Leu 310 315 320 Val Tyr Thr Lys Glu Lys Tyr Asn Asp Pro Val Ile Tyr Ile Thr Glu 325 330 335 Asn Gly Met Gly Asp Asn Asn Asn Val Thr Thr Glu Glu Gly Ile Lys 340 345 350 Asp Pro Gln Arg Val Tyr Phe Tyr Asn Gln His Leu Leu Ser Leu Lys 355 360 365 370 Asn Ala Ile Ala Ala Gly Val Lys Val Lys Gly Tyr Phe Thr Trp Ala 375 380 385 Phe Leu Asp Asn Phe Glu Trp Leu Ser Gly Tyr Thr Gln Arg Phe Gly 390 395 400 Ile Val Tyr Val Asp Phe Lys Asp Gly Leu Lys Arg Tyr Pro Lys His 405 410 415 Ser Ala Leu Trp Phe Lys Lys Phe Leu Leu Lys 420 425 

What is claimed is:
 1. An isolated polynucleotide, wherein said polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide comprising amino acids 1 to 429 of SEQ ID NO:1.
 2. The isolated polynucleotide as claimed in claim 1, wherein said polynucleotide comprises nucleotides 1 to 1287 of SEQ ID NO:2.
 3. An isolated polynucleotide wherein said polynucleotide encodes a polypeptide having β-primeverosidase activity, said activity catalyzing release of a disaccharide and an aglycan from a disaccharide glycoside, and wherein said polynucleotide has at least 90% sequence homology over the entire length to SEQ ID NO:2.
 4. The isolated polynucleotide as claimed in claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein said polynucleotide is isolated from a plant.
 5. The isolated polynucleotide as claimed in claim 4, wherein said plant is a tea plant.
 6. A cloning or expression vector comprising an isolated polynucleotide as claimed in claim 1, 2 or
 3. 7. A host cell transformed with the vector as claimed in claim
 6. 8. The host cell as claimed in claim 7, wherein said host cell is Escherichia coli or a yeast.
 9. A process for producing a polypeptide having β-primeverosidase activity comprising, (a) culturing the host cell as claimed in claim 7 under conditions suitable for expression of a polypeptide having β-primeverosidase activity, and (b) recovering a polypeptide having β-primeverosidase activity so expressed. 